ISINGIRO: Police Kicks Investigations on 130M NRM Youth mobilization funds.
By Devine Atwine
The Police and RDC Herbert Muhangi in Isingiro District have started investigating the NRM Youth chairperson Isingiro District Mr. Kagumire Amos, over alleged misappropriation of 130 million shillings meant for NRM mobilization activities during the recently concluded general elections.
According to Nshaba Isaac, the Youth chairperson, Isingiro town council, Isingiro District, the NRM secretariat sent Ugx 158M to Isingiro District as the youth mobilization fund. The funds were received by C/M Kagumire but the beneficiaries had never received the funds.
The funds were meant for mobilizing the youth to vote for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National chairman, NRM, and other NRM leaders in Isingiro District. It is alleged that the funds were received by Kagumire Amos and he was supposed to divide them into 30 sub counties depending on the villages that each sub-county has.
Isingiro District has 30 sub-counties and 901 villages. Each youth from each village was supposed to get Ugx 10,000 (Ten thousand shillings) for Transport facilitation to and from the polling station across the District.
According to Kefa Gumisiriza, the chairperson, Kabuyanda Sub County since February, the beneficiaries have never received the funds.
“Out 158Million, the NRM secretariat sent to Isingiro District as the youth mobilization fund, he (Kagumire) released only 20 million and he ran away with the remaining balance of 130M which we are now demanding for”. Kefa said.
However, Gerald Agaba, the District NRM chairperson told this website that his office received the complaint from the NRM sub-county chairpersons across the District accusing their District chairperson Kagumire Amos of receiving their funds and ran away with them.
He also confirmed that Kagumire received money worth 158 million from the NRM secretariat for youth mobilization in Isingiro District during the elections and the funds were for youth mobilization but he only gave the youth only 20million out of the funds received.
“After receiving the complaint from the youth leaders from 30 sub counties, as the NRM chairperson, Isingiro District and a leader, I forwarded the matter to our RDC Herbert Muhangi, the head of security in the District and the police to investigate the matter. If they find him guilty, with no compromise, he will be forced to pay back the money or he will face the law. We cannot tolerate and we shall never tolerate any form of corruption in the NRM party and in the whole District of Isingiro”. Gerald said.
Herbert Muhangi, the RDC also confirmed that he received complaints from the youth leaders accusing their District leader Kagumire of running away with youth mobilization funds worth 130 million meant for mobilizing the youth to vote for the NRM party in the general elections held on 14th February 2021.
He said “It is true my office and the police, based on the complaint lodged in our offices by the District youth leaders, we are investigating the District NRM chairperson, Kagumire Amos who is suspected of misusing over 130M, youth mobilization funds. We have already informed him (Kagumire) about the accusations against him and we told him either to bring accountability of the funds showing how he divided them or we arrest him”. RDC Herbert said.
He also confirmed, “The youth didn’t stop at registering their complaint to our respective offices but on 29th march 2021, they also stormed my office in Kabingo town council, demanding for the arrest of Chairman Kagumire and that we force him to scoff back their money which are doing as security though he (Kagumire) is still treated as a suspect”.
Aaron Turani, the outgoing mayor of Endizi town council and the Chairman LC5 elect, Isingiro District said that he supports the youth because someone taking money which is meant for public use breaks the laws and he or she deserved prosecution.
“Since the matter is already in the hands of the police and RDC, let us give them enough time to investigate. Once they find that he (Kagumire) is guilty, then the law will take its own course”. Aaron added.
Kagumire Amos, the suspect while talking to our reporter via mobile phone, he confirmed that true he received NRM youth mobilization funds worth 158 million meant for mobilizing the youth to vote NRM party and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National chairman in the recently concluded general elections.
He confirmed that the money was for facilitation and transport refund for the youths within the sub-counties and that he divided them accordingly and very soon, he will produce the accountability.
